A scene from “Dear Evan Hansen.” Image: Handout photo from GMG Productions
Filipino fans will have the chance to sing “You Will Be Found” at the top of their lungs, as the critically acclaimed musical “Dear Evan Hansen” will be staged in Manila this coming September.
The UK touring production will take charge of the Manila staging of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s musical, according to a press statement from theater production company GMG Productions.
“Filipino audiences have been asking for ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ for years, and we’re beyond excited to finally bring this production to Manila. The story, music, and message of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ resonate so deeply with so many people, and we can’t wait for Filipino fans to experience it live,” GMG CEO Carlos Candal said.
The UK touring production is directed by Adam Penford, although it remains unknown if he will direct the musical’s run in the Philippines.
The musical will be shown at The Theatre at the Solaire Resort & Casino in Parañaque, although the exact dates of its staging have yet to be announced.
Based on the book by Steven Levenson, “Dear Evan Hansen” tells the story of a high school senior with social anxiety. He finds himself in an uncertain spot after pretending to be friends with a student who took his own life — complete with fake email messages and a fake goodbye note — to be close with the late student’s family and fit in with his fellow students.
“Dear Evan Hansen” went through several readings in New York until it was first staged in Washington, D.C., in July 2015. It was also produced by an off-Broadway production until its Broadway premiere in 2016.
The musical went on to win Best Musical and Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical at the 2017 Tony Awards, among other distinctions. It also bagged the Best Musical Theater Album award at the Grammy Awards a year later.
It was also adapted into a young adult novel and a musical film on October 2018 and November 2018, respectively.
Some of its notable cast members include Ben Platt (who played the titular Evan Hansen), Laura Dreyfuss, Mike Faist and Will Roland.